Reversing mechanism for washing machines



May 2, 1950 .1. ZlMARlK REVERSING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. c/0/7/ 7 Z/mar/k BY v HTTORNEY y 2,1950 J. zlMARlK 2,506,052

REVERSING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR.

John Z/marf/f HTTORNE Y Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".-

EEVERSING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES John Zimarik, Akron, Ohio Application April 27, 1946, Serial No. 665,566

9 Claims. (Cl. 74-323) This invention relates to washing machines,v

Figure 1 is a side elevation; partly broken away and in section, of a' washing machine of the tumbler-drum type and having incorporated therein improved reversing mechanism embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figural, but illustrating the reversing mechanism in one extreme position of operation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 2, illustrating an intermediate position of operation thereof.

Figure 4 is a view'similar to Figure 2 illustrating the mechanism in the other extreme position of operation thereof.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

' Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in crosssection, taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 there is illustrated a washing machine of a tumblerdrum type shown in the prior patents to John Zimarik, Numbers 2,272,284 and 2,284,243. The washing machine includes essentially a tumblerdrum lfl mounted on a fixed supporting chuck H to rotate about a horizontal axis, the chuck being secured to a verticallyv extending bracket |2 mounted on a stand or base I3. Adjacent the front of the drum additional support is provided for the same as by means of rollers I mounted in brackets l5 secured to the stand l3. The arrangement is such that the front. of the drum, in

tor 20.

stantial parallelism with the axis of drum l0.

A driving shaft 23 from motor 20 extended into the box l9 has a worm screw 24 thereon, meshed with a worm wheel 25' rotatably received on the shaft 2 Integral with the worm wheel is a bevel gear 26 arranged in spaced relation to a similar oppositely disposed bevel gear 21, which is also relatively rotatably received on the shaft 2|, the gears 26 and 21 being mounted on the shaft so as to be relatively non-shiftable, but to permit relative axial shifting of the shaft, and an idler bevel gear 28 is mounted in the box to be in constant imeshing engagement with said spaced bevel gears. Fixed on the shaft 2| may be a clutch member 30 having oppositely toothed faces adapted to be engaged with one or other of reciprocally toothed portions 3| and 32, integral with the bevel gears 26' and 21, respectively. That is, the shaft 2| is axially shiftable rearwardly' of the machine into clutching engagement of the member 30 with the clutch portion 3|, wherewhich is provided a clothes supplying and emptying closure I6, is free and unobstructed.

The drum I0 may be rotated: on its axis by means of a belt l8 extending around the same and engaged over a pulley l1, slidably but non-rotatably keyed at 20 on a shaft2 l whigh extends from a reversing gear box l9, the ge' ihg in the latter nection with the shaft 2| to rotate the drum Ill in one direction. Similarly, by shifting the shaft 2| forwardly of the drum, to engage clutch meniber 30 with the clutch portion 32, the shaft will be driven in reverse direction indirectly through meshing engagement of the idler gear 28 with the gears 26 and 21.

Mounted forwardly of the pulley I! may be a self-operating reversing and indexing mechanism, indicated generally at 35, the same including a bracket 36 suitably supported on base l3, as by means of an upright 31, the bracket 36 having spaced lugs 38 and 39 provided with aligned apertures for receiving therethrough a forward extension of shaft 2|. An element or quadrant 42 may be suitably mounted on shaft 2|, as in the manner indicated generally at 40 (see Figures 1 to 5), to be relatively rotatable but axially rela-' 'tively non-shiftable thereon, the quadrant ex-'- tending toward the drum ID, in a plane at right angles to the axis thereof. The arrangement is such that shaft 2| may rotate continuously in vided with a plurality of arcuately spaced recess portions 43, 44, Hand 46, the recesses being & ,shaped like a gear tooth and there being one more gre'cfe'ssed portion than the desired number of revobeing driven by means of a suitable electrical. m0 "li1tions of drum ID in either direction. Secured The shaft 2| is journalled in spaced bear-'- ing bosses 22 and 22a in box [9 to extend in sub- 3 to the outer surface of the drum [9, to be aligned with quadrant 42 in any axially shifted position thereof, may be an elongated protuberance 47 which is shaped on the order or a, gear tooth and adapted to mesh with the recesses of the portions 43 to 4b, in a manner to be described.

A huo portion no of the quadrant 42, through which the shaft 2| is received, may be cylindrical in shapeand, is provided on aneunobstructed cylindrical, ;;surface; portion thereof with transversely extending slots 50 and 5|, which are adapted releasably and slidably to receive ra spring-pressed detent 5 mounted in a boss 53 in the bottom portion 56 of the-bracket 36. The slots 51'; and ti are in locations corresponding to extreme limits of angular movement of the quadrant 12, as illustrated in full lines in Figures 2 and 5. Intermediate the slots 5i} and'filj-atthe unobstructed side of the hub 49, may bemtwo transversely spaced series of circumferentially pac d rec ses 5.1; "for. receivingdetent 51-. -.(s.ee Eights i ..t.he'i.s tio 0 th s -mQ s swith r p ct to. th si tsiil and '5 iv correspondingrtoothe progressively advanced p ositionsiof ,tne ,quadrant asflui'es ibythe tooth, 4.7,;and th pa s ri peing arranged to bein alignment with, the detent ,in both axially shifted positions of, the quadrant.

. ,Lrip eggte isionsjd and 56 from the. bracket 3 6. are

Qrqvided io engatwmenl: by the" opposite ends ,of

the out ra icuate portion ofjtheiquadlant imsaid extreme positionsrthereof ShQWIl in .Figures- 2 andj. Ibis arrangement; is such that in thefull linstnositi qi the quadlant shown in nieu z A'QtqliiQIl Q1; the ,drum. Hi inrcounter-clockwise ,direction, foig exampldfi willflcause the toothafi'l therepntomcfih. Withtherecess of portion .46.,of

,lhfiirquagirant for-a ,short distance of a gular m ementi w h idrum, there 3 s n th uadrant, in clock-wise. direction ,to the chaintlqttedposit n wn in F ural .Up nthe next Referring particularly to Figures imp ed ately af rit e tooth.:mQ s -thenuadrant 1211191 the ,chain-dottedtothe full line position thereof 9 Figure .4, which .isat the cend :9 -.-th.e

,third successiveirotationof therdrum incounterclockwise ,directionran angularly spacedcam plat 56, mounted onrthe urface .of -the .dr11n 1;-.in clockwise, -cir unifyerentially paced. relation to .thetooth A7,..W l1en ase a roller- .59 mounteda the adjacent end ,ofthearcuate ,portion ofthe the tooth 41, at the beginning of a first revolunon of the series thereof, will move the quadrant 32 from the full-line position of Figure 4 to the chain-dotted position therein, and with each succeeding rotation of the drum in the same direction the tooth will progressively move the quadrant in counter-clockwise direction in the manner previously described, until it is advanced to=tne-iull line positionrshown'in Figure 2. Im-

amediateiyxafter-the toothA-i leaves the/recess of portion 5, moving in counter-clockwise direcrtion, a cam plate 58a which is disposed oppo ;;'circumferentiaily of the tooth d1, will engage a roller 58 mounted at the other extreme end of sather-outeri arcuate portion of quadrant 42 and on uadrant AZHatVtherearsigle thereof, to shiftthe the quadrant, theadetent ,52 in sliding engagement imthe slot 50 will ,becomealigned-with the other series oirecesses-i'i for. the;. nex;t succession of feyolutionsgofathe drum 10. in reverse direction; .wlllhenethe drum, as --v w dn F re .is r

yers dao rotate in counterl kw s d ect on ongtheiquadrant 542. :4

clothes-11.2 e.

the, side opposite from roller 41. This will shift thequadrant'andtlie shaft 2| axially to the fulllinc pqsition of the quadrant shown in Figure 1.

- In the last-named position the clutch member 38 quadrantiziE to,reverse ;the direction of rotation.

- Inithe ,ioperationiof ,Lthe ,machine for treating clothes: therciothes; toibe treated, are placeddn the dr mJt through. tbe.,.cl osure mean-s16 at he from .of ,,the drum,-- and, the motor .20 is then started ,to,.;drive ,theafi iutmalfl, .in ,one direction through. the .gear mechanism; in box, I 9. .As .pre- 81 0 515! des ibedrthnee ,iullrevolutionshofuthe drum it in counter-clockwise. direction willnmnye the quadrant dirirgmgthe iulleline position of iliguraito ,theJLfuIkLineLHOSi-tiQn obEigure-4,

and immediately thereafter the cam.,58 omthe drumav ll ,e ase ro er.-,59 o s-qu dr n shQWmin ,fil'll tlilleshiniligurcs 4 -,and. 6,- to, ,shift the quadrant forwardlyv OI;-t11e;drum,td the chaind t dil ncapositidnsfthere f .rshown-in- Fi u 5 and-,6. forward movement of the. quadrant it, 2 will -,shi:ftr the clutchnvmember, .30 to. reverserthe rotation of the drum l0, and thetooth- ,i'l\similarlylsuccessively -meshing with the rece pfl tionsuiia tochimin progressively,,-advancer the quadrant-roach to, the fulleline-position shownrin ,rligure :2, when, thecam;QSSWWiIL-engage rollerifill to,;-,shift quadrant ,,and,,shaft 2,! -rearwardly "to operate the clutch for anothenreversinamovemen m t -drums continuous p rati n::Q i't motor 2e will drivethet liumoin successive-series o -three rer lu on rin opposite di e tions ioni s tum in o rthe-iclothes heme treated therein, and with a minimum of tanglingethe has be n provid d az-relativelyrsimpl ur versingimechanismior wmshingmaehine; which is' 'gself-zoperatinh by roiiation v'of' thew drum' 12in either;directionzcforereversing;.therrotationruf the drums; E'Itsis zunderstocd {that a, the .unumben .nf successive rotationszof rthe sdrumi in one: direction maysbew'as desir'edvby corm'spondingly changing the humbe'rof aiooth receiving recessed' :portion a '3- Modificationsof'the'lnventionmay be resorted to .awitliout aldepartlng from the spirit thereof or the;scone-:ofrthe 'appenndiclaimsu r fwhatristcl,airnetl iiszl"" ":l

1. A ma'chi'neiofthecharacter described, com prisinge azirelativelys'cflxed rsupport sia umem'ber totatably mohnted'omsaiidsupport; a powerishaft journallediinzassociation zwith said member: zdriv ingpower, means; ayreyersing mechanismebetiveen said-11 mmmeanseandiasazld mowemshafit ipower.

. l and said rotatable member to rotate the same, interengageable indexing means on said rotatable member and said power shaft, said indexing means including an'element axially shiftable with respect to said axis of said shaft and transversely shiftable with respect thereto progressively with successive revolutions of said member, and interengageable means on said member and 'said element engageable after a predetermined transverse shifting of said element in either direction to shift said element in corresponding axial direction and thereby through said reversing mechanism to reverse the drive of said power transmission means. I

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed support, a drum rotatably mounted on said support, a power shaft journalled in association with said rotatable drum, driving power'means, a reversing mechanism between said power means and said power shaft, power transmission means between said shaft and said rotatable drum, interengageable indexing means on said rotatable drum and said power shaft, said indexing means including an element axially shiftable with respect to the axis of said shaft and transversely shiftable with respect thereto progressively with successive revolutions of said drum, and interengageable means on said drum and on said element engageable after predetermined transverse shifting of said element in either direction to shift said element in corresponding axial direction and thereby through said reversing mechanism to reverse the drive of said power transmission means.

3. A machine of the character described, com prising a relatively fixed support, a drum mounted on said support to be rotatable about an axis, a power shaft axially shiftably mounted in association with said rotatable drum, driving power means, a reversing mechanism .between said power means and said power shaft operable to rotate the same in opposite directions by axially shifting said power shaft, power transmission means between said shaft and saidrotatable drum, interengageable indexing means on said rotatable drum and said power shoft, said indexing means being interengageable whereby upon a predetermined number of revolutions of said rotatable drum in either direction said power shaft is axially shifted in one d rection or the other and whereby through said reversing mechanism said power transmission means is correspondingly reversed in driving direction, said indexing means including a tooth on said rotatable drum to rotate therewith in an arcuate path, an element shiftably mounted on said power shaft to extend toward the path of movement of said tooth and having a plurality of arcuately spaced tooth-receiving portions, whereby with each rotation of said drum said tooth is engageable with successive tooth receiving port ons progressively to shift said ele-' ment, in direction transversely of said axis of said power shaft, and means operable upon .predetermined progressive axial shifting of said element by said tooth in either d rection to provide said reversin transverse shifting movement of said power shaft.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed support, a member mounted on said support to be rotatable about an axis, a power shaft shiftably mounted in association with said member, a driving power means, a reversing mechanism between said power means and said power shaft operable to rotate the same in opposite directions by axially shifting said power shaft, power transmission means between said power shaft and said ro-- tatable member to rotate the same, interengageable indexing means on said rotatable member and said power shaft, said indexing means being interengageable upon a predetermined number of revolutions of said rotatable member in either direction, said power shaft being axially shifted in one direction or the other and whereby through said reversing mechanism said power transmission means correspondingly reversed in driving direction, said indexing means including a tooth on said rotatable member to rotate therewith in an arcuate path, an element shiftably mounted on said power shaft to extend to; ward the path of movement of said tooth and having a plurality of arcuately spaced tooth-receiving portions, whereby with each rotation of said member said tooth is engageable with suc-' cessive tooth receiving portions progressively to move said element in a direction transversely of said axis of said power shaft, and cam means on said member and said element operable upon said predetermined progressive transverse shifting of said element in either direction to provide said reversing axial shifting movement of said power shaft.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a rotatable member, means for mounting said member to rotate about an axis, power means including a reversing mechanism for rotating said member in either direction, of

indexing means to control the direction of rotat-ion of said member comprising a protrusion on said member and rotatable therewith in a path of movement about said axis, an element transversely shiftably and pivotally mounted to extend toward said path of movement of said protrusion and having a plurality of arcuately spaced portions for successive meshing engage ment by the protrusion as the member is rotated progressively to advance said element about the pivot thereof, spring-pressed detent means for yieldingly retaining said element in said progressively advanced positions thereof, said element inc uding a cylindrical part having arcuately spaced transversely extending slots and two transversely spaced series of arcuately spaced recesses intermediate said slots for receiving said detent, stop means for limiting p votal movement of said element in both directions, cam means on said member and said element for transversely shifting the element in opposite directions upon engagement of said detent in one of said slots, and means controlled by said transverse shifting of said element to operate said reversing mechanism.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a rotatable member, means for mounting said member to rotate about an axis, power means including a reversing mechanism for rotating said member in either direction, of indexing means to control the direction of rotation of said member comprising a protrusion on said member and rotatable therewith in a path of movem nt about said axis, an el ment transversely shift b y and pivotally mounted to extend toward said path of movement of said protrusion and having a {plurality of arcuately spaced portions for successive meshin en agement by the protrusion as the member rotated pro ressively to advance said element about the pivot thereof, means for yieldingly retaining said was fil m nt-L n. idmrggr ss ve x ux a med P9ifl93 th re l smelemen ni 'lusl ng zjcylm i c lm p 4 p vvefne'nt or's'aid element i n"b0th irectlons, camfrneans Jon said member'ahd said elenje'nt'; i r transverse 1' shifting the" el m m in sit fl on u en a em n 1 Sa d d ti ansvei'seQsliiftiggpf said ekment to rsei ire s in m h ni' m- 7 In apparatus 'ofthe character' deseyib ed, the

ggahlhinatip'ril'yvith a rptataple'memhet'jhear ls fo1' mbimti g said member'to rotate about an axis,

p us ionv and hav iag a plprality, of arcuately spaced portiqns for "successive mesjh ing engage- }ifint fiy: gthelprbtnis ian as "the member irotate'd in rpjgressit ely toadvance safd element about the 'ji'iv'ot thereof, spring-pressed detent means for i ins retaining .em. ,n i fs'a mosf iw 'aslva a l v i on th e te means fdi limiting pivotal mqvement of; said element in bpjahpireptions cammeafis on said member 1 and "said eleme tffqrjtransversely shifting theegeinentfin opposite directions in 'said ppsitiqns 6f iimited piv ptalf movement pf the e ement; and 11 3 BQX b $8M i i vf i iih fi Sai element 21 qnsr fe a si 'e'si z i ew- 8.I n apparatus of the ehara cter described the combinatiqh with a retatabje mengber; I neans fer niburgting said member 'to i'otate' about: an axis, bbwer means including a "reversjfig' gnechapi sm f6r rptatihg' s'aid meifiber i r'l' either direeitiq'nl; 6f

ftewar d said bath of movement ofjsafd ii 'of said member comprisigg"a proti psiqn F ace wno pn r uq q s y .mq hm a 1 m?- m nu by the plt rusipn as' -the"Ii1;iibe1'- i6tatpd progressively "to ads-ram said?e1em'eiit ,abqi1t'fthe .piyot thereofgni'eaps' f9; :yieldmgw, retaining fsfld element in said Qiogr'essit'ely s,gva1j1cd pdsitiijps thereof; camjm'ea'ns" on said member I ar'ld Said element .fpr transyersely shifting the elemep 1n pppns t ;di i "fi a p t on 11 e p yot movement i'o gf h e eme df'm a s co tr led j 'fs' t a v rs shif m sai e s t'ioi n e t aidii ye s t em cha im ,9; ;n.appa1:at us of the character; described; the eombination with a rotatable member meanslipr mounting said member ,t rotate. about; aniaxis, pgwer means lineluqip t a reversing ichafiism 01" 'rgtating said jgiember, in'"either ,qir'ectidm. pf nde ihefim .1 on rol. th idi 'ectionv (H.16- tatiqn'pf said m'embr eqmpi i sihgffaprotrusion 9n said nljr llkp e'1"L fid rdtatable, therewith ,'in.;a path jofjamvement f'about I said .a'n element .fi 'an yfitsl ys h ffi'ablya d p votal ly. moii tedit extend toward; said path pf ,movem eilt of i said prqtigus ion and, haying a plurality of arcuat'ly space'dij, portibns fqrf 's uecessiye meshing $28 15 'rhept pyjthe,prqt1usion a$ the 1x1je r1 1lqer rQtated pr g essively. to advan e Saidfelementflaboflt the pivptthgraf! sn n 'r te 's-s sn mean f9! ,y fildifig y' reta in I i helfl fihfi in Said JP g' sive ytadvaine d q i ibn themoit am eans n.said men 11 E er and Sa vQ Q 1 H ld l L DSVEI' G Y shift n the-e emen i a posit fliIfi nns in nositipns of limited .pivgtaljnbyerrlient p'f,'.the e1e+ msnt and. mean gjs n rolledjby said; tran ve s shi tin o w aiidjslem n to QPemt'e il rrye ing'me'chahism."

JO I-I NJIMARIK.

,E' W EENQES 'C TED file of this patent:

.S'ITATES "PATENTS 

